CET scam: Peer says ‘very big person plotted against me’

Srinagar: Mushtaq Ahmad Peer, the former chairman of J&K Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE), who is in jail for over two months, Monday maintained his innocence and claimed that some “very big person was behind conspiracy against me.”
Peer was arrested by the Crime Branch of Police on November 23 last year after its investigation revealed his involvement in multi-crore cash-for-paper scam in Common Entrance Test 2012, leading to selection of undeserving candidates for MBBS course at Government Medical College here.
“They have touched a wrong corner. They have accused an honest person. If this court seizes the record of GAD and Crime Branch, your lordship will know how many communications I have written for investigation,” Peer’s lawyer Moulvi Aijaz quoted him as saying before the court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption Kashmir, Mohan Lal Manhas during arguments in the bail plea.
“I still remember that the man behind this is very big man. He is very thick with Farooq (Ahmad Itoo, accused number 2 in the scam who was named as kingpin by the Crime Branch),” Peer said, adding, “I suspect that 70-75 of the game is planned. The man is a very, very big person. He is my good friend. He is also good friend of Farooq. I just cannot name him, but I have been trying to tell authorities between the lines that please investigate; they are not listening.”
Peer also reiterated that the paper leak might have taken place at printing press as well as treasury where papers are kept before being dispatched on examination date. “I am accused no.1 because of opinion,” he said.
Earlier, advocate Aijaz referred to a number of Supreme Court and High Court judgments in support of contentions for bail for his client.
As arguments in the bail plea remained inconclusive, the court posted it for February 3 for further arguments.
On the day, the Crime Branch is likely to rebut the arguments advanced by Peer. The Crime Branch, after filing the written objections, is yet to argue the matter. Advocate Khalid Muzaffar, CPO for Crime Branch, listened to the arguments patiently except for informing advocate Aijaz that investigation in the case was still going on and not concluded as claimed by him.

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